Torrington seeks to further explain new streetlight plan to questioning residents

Police chief: Impossible to predict impact on crime

Published 9:27 pm, Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Photo: BEN LAMBERT — The Register Citizen

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Torrington residents came out to share their thoughts and concerns regarding the newly-approved streetlight master plan for the city Tuesday evening.

Torrington residents came out to share their thoughts and concerns regarding the newly-approved streetlight master plan for the city Tuesday evening.

Photo: BEN LAMBERT — The Register Citizen

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Two streetlights seen from the steps of City Hall in Torrington.

Two streetlights seen from the steps of City Hall in Torrington.

Photo: Register Citizen File Photo

Torrington seeks to further explain new streetlight plan to questioning residents

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TORRINGTON >> A sizable contingent of city residents turned out Tuesday evening to ask questions and express concerns about the new municipal streetlight master plan, which was approved by the City Council in November, as city officials aimed to explain the rationale behind the decision.

Representatives from a number of aspects of the municipal government were in attendance. The assembled group delivered a presentation to the audience of residents, who filled rows of chairs set up in the City Hall auditorium, discussing the history of street lighting in the city and the needs of modern Torrington.

Carbone said the purpose of the meeting was to solicit feedback from the community and to bring together the array of perspectives and thoughts by which a plan fitting the needs of the city can eventually be constructed.

“Please understand that what we’re trying to do here is present to you all of the information that has been used over the last decade or two to develop a lighting plan. What we’re asking for here today is an opportunity to not only inform you of what was done, but also hear back from you as to what else do we need to consider,” said Carbone. “This plan isn’t finished. This plan needs to be tweaked. We get that; we know that; and that’s why you’re all here.”

Written questions and comments from residents were solicited during the proceedings via index cards, which were read aloud by the mayor and answered by the city officials in attendance.

Some in the audience also interjected their thoughts as the evening progressed, saying that the current arrangements of streetlights in the city should remain.

Residents, via index cards, submitted questions about a series of matters, which were answered by city officials.

While speaking about a potential increase in crime resulting from a reduction in lighting, Police Chief Michael Maniago said the results on past studies on the matter have been inconclusive, with no consistent relationship demonstrated.

“It’s impossible to predict the impact on crime,” said Maniago. “There’s too many variables that result in increases and reductions, just in general — trends, is it a crime of opportunity, is it a planned offense, circumstances leading up to the crime, the reason for the crime being committed. All these things, lighting has no play in it. If a person is hell-bent on committing a crime, whatever that crime may be... lighting is not going to deter that person.”

Maniago also said he and other city officials will continue to review scholarly literature on the subject, with a focus on reviewing analyses that consider municipalities similar in size and makeup to Torrington.

Residents asked whether an adopt-a-light program could be implemented, allowing streets to pool their resources to keep their lights — Public Works Director Jerry Rollett said that it could, although similar efforts in other municipalities have not been long-lived.

Others asked why the plan had not been put to a vote — Carbone taking care of the city infrastructure, is done by the government, as is the case for roads and sewers without such a referendum.

Residents also mentioned worries about the potential result of making areas of the city darker, which could cause some in the city to become more fearful — Maniago said the police will respond to calls, as they typically do, and consider the data that occurs after the change over time.

Carbone also said a similar change in Thomaston had been implemented without an appreciable effect on crime.

Several of those in attendance then stepped to the microphone in the last portion of the meeting to voice concerns about the plan, in order to share thoughts about potential increases in drug use resulting from the streetlight removal, a deleterious effect on public safety - specifically for pedestrians, but also for property and business owners - the cost of removing the lights, and the lack of material benefit for taxpayers.

The reaction to the plan, as evidenced by this period of public comment, was overwhemingly negative - only one person that stepped forward was in favor of the plan, and several calls against diminishing the amount of lighting prompted rounds of applause.

The City Council approved a new streetlight master plan this past November. An informational meeting regarding the plan was scheduled the following month, after residents shared their concerns.

The initiative, as currently planned, will prompt the removal of approximately 2,100 of the roughly 4,000 streetlights in the city, and limit their use to intersections, curves, dead-ends and cul-de-sacs — places where the added illumination is specifically needed — as well as in heavily-traveled areas and the downtown.

Over the course of the past 16 years, according to City Engineer Ed Fabbri, subdivisions constructed in the city have featured lighting arrangements in alignment with these standards and have not engendered complaints.

Concerns about the current distrubution of streetlights, as described by city officials, include “excessive energy use, glare, and poor light distribution.”

Fabbri said that in recent weeks, he has been visiting locations where residents have said a streetlight is needed and will continue to do so.

The approved plan was developed by municipal officials, including Fabbri and Rollett, with the input of city workers and emergency responders, including the street department, the police and fire departments, and Campion Ambulance and the school district.

It builds on outdoor lighting regulations that were approved by the City Council in 2001, according to Carbone, and were codified in the current Plan of Conservation and Development in 2010.

It also, as discussed Tuesday, follows the guidelines set out in lighting standards set up in state statue 13-110a, which describes “highway and roadway lighting designed to maximize energy conservation and minimize light pollution.”

Goals for the new lighting arrangement, as described by Carbone, include lessening the amount of unnecessary lighting, improve visibility on roadways, and reducing energy use and cost.

“We have to look at how do we, first and foremost, start saving money in the city, and secondly, start conserving energy,” said Carbone. “To me, those are critical decisions that need to be made.”

Carbone also thanked those in attendance for coming out to share their thoughts and concerns with the city.

An email address has also been set up to collect additional thoughts and queries on the subject from those unable to attend the meeting Tuesday: streetlights@torringtonct.org.

The office of Mayor Carbone announced Wednesday afternoon, via a press release, that the streetlight master plan will be altered to take into account the concerns mentioned during the meeting, then presented in the weeks to come to the City Council and public for review and further consideration.